High I.Q. by Frederick Hoehn, copyright 2016, all rights reserved. Chapter 1 I went to a government office recently. They provided a service that I needed. I knew the lady at the counter, and we talked a little. The subject of computers came up. She said that she is not a computer person, and yet I know that she uses computer-like machines at that office in the performance of her duties. Computers would not at all be a difficult subject for her if she chose to learn more about them. I said, "Well, don't you want to be smart?" She wasn't too much concerned about that. I guess she feels rather secure in her position and is, in fact, approaching retirement age. The Bible says, "Every prudent man deals with knowledge." (Prov 13:16) I said, "Well, everyone wants to be smart." But she wasn't too much concerned. I said, "You can get knowledge by reading a book," (and I've done so myself on many subjects). She said that when she reads books, she doesn't retain a lot. I said, "When I read books, I take notes, and it helps me to retain," (to retain what I've read in the book). My Dad was a guy who was disadvantaged as a child. He grew up as an orphan and lived at an orphanage. He said at the orphanage, you learn to eat fast, because the other orphans, after finishing their food, will try to get what is left of your food. Dad was a guy that learned to use his wits, and I'm sure that he believed in the concept that if you're smarter and know more, you'll do better in life. After the orphanage, Dad had various jobs. He learned something about technology by joining the Navy. They sent him to Radioman school, and he learned to be a Radioman. Later, as a civilian, Dad got a job with an Aerospace company that was a government contractor. They built things for the U.S. military. The U.S. had not yet entered World War 2 when Dad was in the Navy. But when WW2 broke out for the U.S., young men were getting drafted into the military. But Dad got an exemption because his employer told the draft people that it needed my Dad for their government military work. Dad had a career with, and retired from that Aerospace contractor. During his employment, they gave him an I.Q. test. (Intelligence Quotient, your mental age divided by your chronological age.) Dad scored 156 on the Math/Science portion, which is considered very good. An average score would be 100. That company promoted Dad from working in the shop with his hands to being an Estimator. (You still use your hands, of course, but it's not considered manual labor.) But even working in the shop would be called "skilled labor." He told about his saving the company a million dollars on one project. One issue was whether to build the product with soldered electrical connections or with crimped connections. The crimping was just as good, but far less costly, mainly, I understand, because of the cost of certifying those who would have been doing the soldering. My Mother also worked at the same company doing secretarial work, but for a shorter period of time. She was also a Housewife with children to raise. She scored well on her I.Q. test, but not as high as Dad's 156. Some people might say that they want to do as well as possible on I.Q. tests because that would help them do well in life. And students who do well on their Scholastic Aptitude Tests are also expected to do well. A high SAT score will help you get admitted to the college of your preference. But you should also have a good grade point average. College graduates generally earn more money in their careers than non-college graduates. But I see a pitfall for those with high I.Q.'s. Those with high I.Q.'s will surely have the temptation to be lifted up with pride. And the Bible says, "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." (Prov 16:18) There are demons of pride that come and tempt people to be proud. If you yield to that temptation, a demon of pride could get into you, and then would need to be cast out of you. But the Bible says that we should "resist the devil, and he will flee from you." (James 4:7) And why does the devil want us to be proud? Because-- "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." (Prov 16:18) Jesus said-- "The thief comes only to steal, and to kill, and to destroy, I have come so they can have life, and so they can have it more abundantly." (John 10:10) The devil and his demons want to steal from us, and to kill us, and to destroy us, as in John 10:10. Pride, in fact, can kill you, and pride can send you to hell. In the Old Testament, pride brought low King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. (book of Daniel) My Mother was a Christian, and when she passed on, she went to be with Jesus in heaven. Chapter 2 But my Dad claimed to be an Atheist. An Atheist is someone who says that there's no God. But God has something to say about the Atheists-- "The fool has said in his heart that there is no God." (Psa 14:1) So then, in the sight of God, my Dad, even with his high I.Q., was a fool. But does it matter what God thinks of us? It matters a great deal. Judgment Day will come (book of Revelation), and every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess to God. (Rom 14:11) The Book of Revelation tells us that the books will be opened on Judgment Day--the books in which the recording angels have written down the things we've said, and the things we've done during our lives on earth. And another book will be opened--the "Lamb's book of Life." Jesus is "The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." (Rev 13:8) God knew that Jesus would have to die for our sins, and be the Messiah (the Savior.) Jesus is Jeshua ha Meshia. On Judgment Day, if your name is in the Lamb's book of Life, you go to heaven. If not, you go to hell, where there's crying and gnashing of teeth, where their worms don't die, and where the fire is never quenched, Jesus said. Sadly, most people are in the latter category, because Jesus said, 13 "Enter in at the restricted gate, because wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and there are many that go in there, 14 Because the gate is restricted, and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it." (from Matt chapt 7) So, when my Dad died, he went to hell. You get your name into the Lamb's book of Life when you become a Christian. Jesus said, "You MUST be born again." (John chapt 3) To become a born again Christian, obey Romans 10:9,10-- "That if you confess the Lord Jesus with your mouth, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you're saved. For with the heart man believes for righteousness, and with the mouth, confession is made for salvation." For more on salvation, read the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John in the Bible or New Testament. (the New Testament is the last 27 books of the Holy Bible) If my Dad hadn't had a high I.Q., maybe he would have been more humble, a more God-fearing man. Maybe he would have taken the trouble to seek the Lord. To pray. To read the Bible. To attend a good church. And we should pray about which church to go to. The meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. (Psa 37:11) Jesus said, "Seek and you shall find..." (Matt chapt 7) But, you see, it's hard to teach people who think that they already know everything. I knew someone else with a high I.Q.--Virginia T. She was a fellow student with me at our grammar school. With her very high I.Q., they interviewed her, and wrote an article about her in Life Magazine, many years ago. But I'm pretty sure that Virginia will wind up in hell. When we were young, I invited Virginia to my Christian church, and she went with me. She invited me to go with her to her Jewish Synagogue, and I went with her. Years later, one of my friends from high school sent me an email. An email that he had sent copies of to other people, using the "cc" function. As I looked down the list, there was Virginia T. So she and I did a little correspondence by email. She said that she was an Atheist. What? She had been Jewish, and now she's an Atheist? How did that happen? Probably pride had something to do with it. The Jews, at least, believe in God, though they are generally not aware that Jesus is their Messiah. (However, there is a "Jews for Jesus" organization.) Virginia did well in college, and became an Astrophysicist. In fact, I saw her hosting about an hour long science program on TV, probably on PBS. A rather interesting program. But people who become Scientists tend to think that they really do know a great deal, and they associate in high circles with their fellow Scientists, college Professors, and so forth. And I think Virginia works at least some as a college Professor with two different universities. Seems like she also married a man who is a Scientist. So, perhaps an obvious question for her to ask might be, "Well who knows more than I and my fellow Scientists do?" And the obvious answer is, "God does." "...but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise." (2 Cor 10:12) I think the majority of Scientists are Evolutionists. They believe in the Theory of Evolution, which tries to explain away the need for God. And this is a good reason for Christians not to become Scientists, because you will likely be pressured to become an Evolutionist. If you like science, why not become an Engineer, and use science to design useful products? Ask the Lord about your future vocation. But if you choose to be an Evolutionist, you've swallowed a lie. A lie that is the Theory of Evolution from Charles Darwin, who I am sure is now burning in hell. Those who help others go to hell generally go to hell themselves, for it is written, "He that digs a pit shall fall into it." (Eccl 10:8) So then, what good did it do my Dad to have a high I.Q., seeing that when he died, he went to hell? Someone might say, "How can you be sure that he went to hell?" Because hell is the default destination for human beings. You have to make other arrangements to avoid going to hell. I believe the exception would be very young children who die, and God automatically takes them to heaven. If you buy a computer, it comes from the factory with "default" settings. When you get the computer home, you can start changing from the default settings to your preferences, such as background color of the "desktop" screen, or font size. But often, there's a button to push, or an icon on the screen to click on to return to the default settings. So, when I say that hell is the default destination for humans, I mean that's where we will automatically go unless we make other arrangements. The other arrangement that you make is to become a Christian. But Dad was an old man when he died, and had lots of opportunities to get straight with God, and would not do so. Dad hurt his opportunities to get right with God by choosing to be an Atheist. After you say that there's no God, what would be the reason to try to get right with God, if God doesn't exist? You sort of "paint yourself into a corner" if you choose to be an Atheist. Look at Heb 11:6-- "...for he that comes to God must believe that he is, and that he's a rewarder of those who diligently seek him." (Heb 11:6) Dad didn't believe that God exists, by his own profession of being an Atheist, so why would Dad seek God? And then too, the Bible teaches that as we get older, we're less likely to get right with God. See Ecclesiastes-- ___Ecclesiastes chapter 12 1 Remember now your creator in the days of your youth, while the evil days haven't come, nor the years come near when you'll say, "I have no pleasure in them..." And what good does it do for Virginia T. to have a high I.Q., seeing that she is on her way to hell? Jesus said-- "He that finds his life shall lose it, and he that loses his life for my sake shall find it." (Matt 10:39) Virginia didn't lose her life for Jesus sake. Virginia found her life, and found success by the world's standards. A college graduate, with probably one or more advanced degrees after the bachelor's degree. Friends in high places. Good status in the academic world. A host of a TV program. Jesus said to his followers, the Christians-- "In the world you'll have tribulation. But be of good cheer, I've overcome the world." (John 16:33) Does Virginia have tribulation for being a Christian? No, she's not a Christian. Jesus said-- "If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you're not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you." (John 15:19) Two categories in John 15:19. In which category is Virginia? In the first category, not the second. When Virginia arrives in hell, she'll see that she chose wrong. Unfortunately, after you die and go to hell, there is no longer any remedy available. That needed to be taken care of during the person's life on earth. "...it is appointed to men once to die, but after this the judgment" (Heb 9:27) I heard a man say one time, "Well, if I'm going to hell, I'll have a lot of friends there." Yes, but here is what he didn't understand. In hell, you and those former friends will no longer be friends because they'll be blaming you, and you'll be blaming them for your being in hell. There is no friendship in hell, but anguish, insanity, torment, as Jesus told us. And Virginia and her Scientist friends will be blaming each other and blaming Charles Darwin. Darwin might answer, "You should have been smart enough not to believe that lie." And what did Darwin get out of telling that lie? He probably got some friends among academics and so-called intellectuals, who sit around, "Always learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." (2 Tim 3:7) And Darwin probably salved his own conscience, comforting himself with the thought that there was no need for him to get straight with God, after he had explained away the need for God (or thought he had.) But that comfort, that Darwin seemed to have, immediately evaporated upon his arrival in hell. Here is a passage of scripture that seems to apply to Charles Darwin-- ___1 Timothy chapter 4 1 Now the Spirit speaks specifically that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils, 2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their conscience seared with a hot iron, But the issue of who gets the blame doesn't get you back out of hell. We'll learn more about who is to blame on Judgment Day. The way God sees it, if you go to hell, you sent yourself to hell by failing to "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." (Phil 2:12) What a shame. ___James chapter 1 1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes that are dispersed around, greetings. 2 My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into various temptations, 3 Knowing this, that the testing of your faith works patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, so you'll be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God for it, who gives to all men liberally, and won't find fault, and it shall be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavers is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and tossed. 7 For let that man not think that he'll receive anything from the Lord. 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. 9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted, 10 But the rich, in that he is made low, because as the flower of the grass he'll pass away. 11 For the sun has no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withers the grass, and the flower of it falls, and the grace of the fashion of it perishes, so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways. 12 Blessed is the man that endures temptation, for after he's been tested, he'll receive the crown of life, that the Lord has promised to those who love him. 13 Let no man say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God," for God can't be tempted with evil, nor does he tempt any man, 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust has conceived, it produces sin, and sin when it's finished, produces death. 16 Do not err, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, nor shadow of turning. 18 He chose to father us with the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits of his creatures. 19 So, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, 20 For the anger of man doesn't accomplish the righteousness of God. 21 So, lay apart all filthiness and the unnecessary naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like a man seeing his natural face in a mirror, 24 For he sees himself, and goes his way, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But whoever looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues in it, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. 26 If any man among you seems to be religious, and doesn't bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is for nothing. 27 Pure religion and undefiled before God the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. ___James chapter 2 1 My brothers, don't have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. 2 For if a man with a gold ring comes to your assembly in fancy clothes, and a poor man in dirty clothes comes in also, 3 And you have respect to him that wears the fancy clothes, and say to him, "Sit here in a good place," and say to the poor, "Stand there, or sit here under my footstool," 4 Aren't you then partial in yourselves, and have become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, my beloved brothers, hasn't God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? 6 But you have despised the poor. Don't rich men oppress you, and bring you before the judgment seats? 7 Don't they blaspheme that worthy name by which you're called? 8 If you fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, "You shall love your neighbor like yourself," you do well, 9 But if you have respect of persons, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as sinners. 10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. 11 For he that said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not kill." Now if you don't commit adultery, yet if you kill, you've become a breaker of the law. 12 Speak in such a way, and do, as those who'll be judged by the law of liberty. 13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that has shown no mercy, and mercy rejoices against judgment. 14 What does it profit, my brothers, though a man says he has faith, and doesn't have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister needs clothes, and lacks daily food, 16 And one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you don't give them the things that are needed for the body, what good is that? 17 Even so faith, if it doesn't have works, is dead, being alone. 18 Yes, a man could say, "You have faith, and I have works, show me your faith without your works, and I'll show you my faith by my works." 19 You believe that there is one God, you do well, the devils also believe, and tremble. 20 But don't you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Wasn't Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see how faith worked with his deeds, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness, and he was called the friend of God." 24 You see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. 25 Likewise also wasn't Rahab the prostitute justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? 26 For like the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. ___James chapter 3 1 My brothers, don't be many masters, knowing that we'll receive the greater condemnation. 2 For in many things we offend all. If any man doesn't offend in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. 3 See, we put bits in the horses' mouths, so they'll obey us, and we turn around their whole bodies. 4 Look also at the ships, which though they're so large, and are driven by fierce winds, yet they're turned around by a very small helm, wherever the captain wants. 5 Even so, the tongue is a little member, and boasts great things. See how great a matter a little fire kindles! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of sin, so is the tongue among our members that it makes dirty the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of animals, and of birds, and of snakes, and of things in the sea, gets tamed, and has been tamed by mankind, 8 But no man can tame the tongue, it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless God, the Father, and with it we curse men, who are made after the likeness of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be. 11 Does a fountain send out at the same place sweet water and bitter? 12 Can the fig tree, my brothers, produce olive berries? Or a vine, figs? So no fountain can yield both salt water and fresh. 13 Who is a wise man, possessing knowledge among you? Let him show out of a good lifestyle his works with meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, don't glory, and don't lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom doesn't descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. 16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be reasoned with, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 18 And the fruit of righteousness is planted in peace by those who make peace. ___James chapter 4 1 Where do wars and fightings among you come from? Don't they come from your lusts that war in your members? 2 You lust, and don't have, you kill, and desire to have, and can't obtain, you fight and war, yet you don't have, because you don't ask. 3 You ask, and don't receive, because you ask wrongly, so you can consume it on your lusts. 4 You adulterers and adulteresses, don't you know that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world is an enemy of God. 5 Do you think that the scripture says for nothing, "The spirit that lives in us lusts to envy?" 6 But he gives more grace. So he says, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he'll run away from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double minded. 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and cry, let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he'll lift you up. 11 Don't speak evil about each other, brothers. He that speaks evil about his brother, and judges his brother, speaks evil about the law, and judges the law, but if you judge the law, you're not a doer of the law, but a judge. 12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy, who are you that judges someone else? 13 Go on now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we'll go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and make a profit," 14 Actually, you don't know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is a puff of steam, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away. 15 For you ought to say, "Lord willing, we'll live, and do this, or that." 16 But now you rejoice in your boastings, all such rejoicing is evil. 17 Therefore to him that knows to do good, and doesn't do it, to him it is sin. ___James chapter 5 1 Go on now, you rich men, cry and howl for your miseries that shall come on you. 2 Your riches are corrupted, and your clothes are moth eaten. 3 Your gold and silver are rusted, and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh like fire. You've heaped treasure together for the last days. 4 See, the wages of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which you've kept back by fraud, shouts, and the shouts of those who've reaped have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabbath. 5 You've lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton, you've nourished your hearts, like in a day of slaughter. 6 You've condemned and killed the just, and he doesn't resist you. 7 Be patient therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, and has long patience for it, until he receives the early and latter rain. 8 You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is getting near. 9 Don't grudge against each other, brothers, so you won't be condemned, see, the judge stands at the door. 10 Take, my brothers, the prophets, who've spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. 11 See, we count them happy that endure. You've heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord, that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. 12 But above all things, my brothers, don't swear, not by heaven, nor by the earth, nor by any other oath, but let your yes be yes, and your no, no, so that you don't fall into condemnation. 13 Is anyone among you afflicted? Let him pray. Is anyone merry? Let him sing psalms. 14 Is anyone sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord, 15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up, and if he has committed sins, he'll be forgiven. 16 Confess your faults to each other, and pray for each other so you'll be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man is does a lot of good. 17 Elijah was a man subject to the same kind of passions that we are, and he prayed earnestly that it wouldn't rain, and it didn't rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit. 19 Brothers, if any of you strays from the truth, and someone converts him, 20 Let him know, that he that converts the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.